Monday, January 25, 2016

In just a few short days 20th Century Fox will bring yet
another Marvel Comics character to the big screen. Marvel’s merc with the
mouth, Deadpool, promises to be a
faithful interpretation of the character as evidenced by Fox’s tongue-in-cheek
marketing campaign. In light of all the hype surrounding Deadpool’s debut, I’m
about to share an unpopular opinion—I don’t like Deadpool (and you probably
shouldn’t either).

Don’t get me wrong. Deadpool is an entertaining, even
compelling character. But unlike other colorful comic-book characters, Deadpool
fails epically as a hero or role model. As revealed by the teaser trailers,
Deadpool is a foul-mouthed mercenary who more than earns the R-rating attached
to his movie. Deadpool combines Spider-man’s wise-cracking wit with the Joker’s
sinister sense of humor, making him an amusing anti-hero. Unlike other comedic
criminals (such as the Joker or the Riddler) though, writers rarely paint Deadpool
as a genuine villain; rather, he’s often the “hero” of his own stories despite
his moral depravity. He’s a killer without much of a conscience, yet he’s a fan
favorite even among kids. And this is what bothers me most about him.

At nearly every comic-con I attend, I see kids (boys and
girls alike) cosplaying as Deadpool. Undiscerning parents dress their three-year-olds
up as an amoral murder because they think he’s funny, and many of these kids
see Deadpool as their favorite “superhero.” Deadpool is not a hero. He’s not a role model.
He’s not someone to look up to or imitate. The Bible cautions us, “Woe to those
who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for
darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20 NIV).While I believe there
is hope for sinners of all stripes (even Deadpool), I think it’s important—especially
for kids—to emulate and exalt genuine heroes; heroes who stand up for what is
right and inspire us not just to greatness, but also to goodness.